Padlock with nonreversible shackle



Nov. 6 1923. 1,473,353 G. M. MILLER PADLO`C-K WITH NONREVER'SIBLE SHACKLE Filed April -18 1922 of a padlock embodying my invention;`

Patented Nov. 6, i923. i

narran 'stares 4 mms3 rarest-aries.

GEORGE IVI. MILLEROF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSGrNORY TO FRAIM-SLAY- MAKER HARDWARE C0., INC., OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

PADLOCK WITH NoNREvnRsrBLn-snacxrn. V

Application led April 18,

To @ZZ 'l0/tom t may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE M; MILLER, a Y l citizen of the United States, residing at Lancaster, in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Padlocks with Nonreversible Shackles; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to padlocks, and more particularly to a padlock especiallvV designed and adapted to be used for locking the steering wheel or the bra-ke and gear levers of an automobile, so as to protect the owner of the machine against theft when it is left standing upon the roadside or in a public street.

Much trouble has been experienced by the owners of automobiles in locking the steering wheel or brake and gear levers, by inadvertently inserting the shackle in the wrong end of the lock case, and to prevent this locks of the same general character as that. herein described have been devised, such for instance as the lock shown in Patent No. 1.261.423 April 2ndy 1918. l

The object of my invention is to provide a superior lock of the same general character as that referred to but simplified and less expensive to make. consisting of few parts assembled in compact form and adapted to be readily taken apart for the purpose of repairing or re-'placing a worn or broken part.

The invention will first be hereinafter more particularly described, with lreference to the accompanyingr drawings. whichare to be taken as a partof this specification, and then pointed out in the claims at thel end of the description. A

In said drawings, Fig. l is a side elevation granted 4George M.A Miller, g

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional elevation of the same; A

Fig. 3 is a verticalsectional elevation illustrating the shackle turned half-way aroundV and inserted in the casing in inoperative position and also indicating the shackle in dotted lines in the position itoccupies when the attempt is made to insert it in the wrong end of the casing;

1922. seriaiNo. 554,457.

n -F ig. 4 is aside'view of the case with the near side plate removed so as to expose to View therinterior vlocking mechanism;A and Fig. 5 is a detail cross section taken on the line 5-5: of Fig.vv 2.. f

Referring to said drawings, in which .the same reference characters are used" tojdenote corresponding parts in different views,

the shackles` is of U-shaped form having one of its'legs longer'than the other and provided with a series of notches for engagement with a lspring-actuated sliding bolt or dog B arranged'within the lock case C; said longer leg being inserted in an opening c which extends through the case, while the short leg a is insertedin a short or blind chamber 01 on the other side 0I', end of the case. The bottom of the blind chamber serves as a stop to limit the inward movement ofthe shackle, and to permit such movement to the extent required to enable the locking dog to engage the last of the series of notches in the longer leg on its inward movement, as may be necessary in making the required adjustment, the opening in which said leg is inserted extends through the casing to permit the leg to pass entirely through and beyond the casing. In the form shown the locking mechanism con-KV sists of a single sliding` bolt having a beveled end and about midway thereof a recessfor opening o therein ofthe peculiar form shown in Fig. 5 to receive the end of a ykey and provideV a shoulder'or offset portion b1 at one side of said recess for engagement with the key, whereby `the sliding `dog can be moved out yof engagement .with

thefratchet teeth or notches in the longleg of the shackle tounlock theshackle andper-` mit it to be removed; said dog having its beveled end'arranged to engage the beveled end of the notched leg so that the shackle may be readily inserted and locked at difi "ferent points along its length" butl may be removed only when the locking dog is forcibly disengaged by turning the key. The

l.dog B is pressed toward the ratcheted limb of the shackle by means of a spring or springs D placed between an abutment or innerv wall of the case and the'rea-r end of the dog, the latter being suitably recessed to receive one end vof the spring or springs, which tend to normallyv forcel and hold the dog in engagement with one of the notches in the long leg ot the shackle in such manner that when the shackle is properly i serted in the case the dog will recede anc ngage the notches successively untii the shackle reaches the desired position, eupon the dog will lock the shackle and prevent it 'trom being removed until the dog is released by a suitable key. Bete' en the dog and the bottom or end Wall ot the case are placed a series ot floating Wares or tumblers E, having openings therethrough in alineinent with the recess in the sliding dog, and adapted to be arrangedV in diiferentl Ways so as to adapt a diil'erent key to :tit different arrangements ot the series of tumblers, thus making it possible to use a ditlerent key for each lock. T e lock case consists preferably of a metallic body ot' oblong form having a substantially square open center and end Walls oit substantially semi-circular form in the concavities .of Which are fitted metallic tubes F and the tube F extending entirely through the casing While'the tube G entends only part Way and rests upon thc bottom Wall or lower end of the casing, considering the other end as the upper end, thus Jforming a short or blind chamber to receive the short leg` ot the shackle, While the other tube receives the longer leg. The series ot tumblers are confined between plates or flanges 7i on a plate.

which closes one side ot the opening through the center of the case, said flanges havingopenings therethrough in alincment with the openings through the tumblers to 1iermit the insertion ot a key, the other side of said central opening being closed by a plate H1 having openings therethrough to receive projections tl on the flanges 7L which are riveted thereto or upset so as to iirmly seaire the tyvo side plates together in such mn.nner as to contine the series ot Wards or "t nl-lees in proper position between said "farces The case is provided with a key '"'ide l Which is removably inserted in alwie through one end or the bottom ot the and arranged in alinement vfith the series ot openings through the series of t'mlers and the recess in the sliding dog, ind a key hole protector l. is pivoted to the case at one side ot said key-hole so as to serve as a cover therefor and adapt it to swing toward one side to uncover said hole and permit the insertion or" the key.

ln using this lock. by reason of the short or blind chamber at one end ot the casing the shackle can only be operatively inserted at that end by inserting the long leg in the opening which extends entirely through the case While the short leg Ais inserted in the blind chamber7 nor can the shackle be inserted at all in the other end of the casing, and therefore it can never be pushed down over `the key-hole so as t-o interfere with the insertion ot the keyj thus making .key-hole and turned in the Vproper direction tc cause it to engage the shouldered pori -tion olf the recess in the sliding dog, and

thereby move the latter out of engagement with the notch in the long arm of the shackle so as to permit the shackle to be removed or the casing pulled ott of the shackle. On removing the shackle the springs will torce the sliding dog back into position to engage the notched limb of the shackle, and the shackle may be again inserted in the proper position only and Withdrawn only by releasing the shackle by means of a suitable key.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is l. A padlock comprising a casing member and a non-reversible shackle removably inserted therein together with locking means operable by inserting a key in one end of tie casing, the latter having an opening therethrough at one side and a socket at the other side thereof extending parallel .vith'said opening the greater part of its length, said socket being closed at the end thereof adjacent the exit end ot said opening? and said shackle having a. short leg adapted to he inserted in said socket and a long leg adapted for insertion in said opening and to protrude therethrough When said shortV leg reaches the closed end ot said socket, said long leg being provided with a series of notches adapted to he engaged by said locking means and locked in different positions.

2. A. padlock comprising a case having an opening which extends entirely through Jche case and a socket or blind chamber. a non-reversible shackle havingone leg shortened tor insertion in said blind chamber, thelonger leg` having a series of notches therein and adapted in operative position to be inserted through said opening9 together with locking mechanism enclosed within said case, including a sliding dog adapted to engage the notches in said long oit the shackle and prevent its Withdrawal until released by means ot a key acting on said dog7 and springs adapted to torce said dog normally into engagement with the notches in said long leg ot the shackle.

lock comprising a frame member having an open center and opposite side or end portions of substantially semi-cirn cular form having their concave surfaces facing said center and a tube fixed in each concavity, one tube resting upon an underlying portion of the frame member and forming therewith a blind chamber the bottom of which serves as a stop for one leg of a shackle inserted in said tubes, a shackle having a long and a short leg insertible in said tubes at one end; said long leg having a series of notches therein facing the shorter leg,V and locking mechanism Within said case including a spring-actuated slid. ing dog adapted to engage the notchedleg of the shackle and prevent'it from being Withdrawn from, the case until released by Y means of a key acting on said sliding dog.

In testimony whereof I afii-X my signature 20 in the presence of two Witnesses.

GEoRGE M. MILLER.

Witnesses: Y

FLORENCE MENTZER, JN0. A. Com. 

